Sealing strip



J. S. REID SEALING STRIP April 1, 1941.

Filed March 20, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 III:

FIG-3 BY JAMES S. REID W zf-%a ATTORNEY April 1, 1941. J 5, RElD 2,237,059

SEALING STRIP Filed March 20, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR JAMES S. REID A TTORNEYS Patented Apr. 1, i941 SEALING STBW James S. Reid, Shaker Heights, Ohio, assignor to The Standard Products t'lompany, @zeveiend, Ohio, a. corporation oi @hio Application March 26, idti, Serial; No. 33,169

(Ci, to fidi 1 Claim.

This invention relates to improvements in sealing strips and more particularly, in that type of strip, 'frequently referred to as windlacing. which is arranged at the edges of the door openings of automobiles and the like for sealing engagement with the doors for such openings.

The general object of the present invention is the provision of an improved inherently resilient sealing strip of the type specified, said strip being of such simple and inexpensive construction that it can be made and sold at low cost, and of such improved form and character that it is of increased effectiveness in the sealing of such door openings.

A more specific object of the present invention is the provision of an improved sealing 'strip which includes a generally flat and inherently resilient sheet metal body member of strip form,

said body member being transversely slottedthroughout its entire length, with said slots extending from points adjacent one longitudinal edge portion of such body member, an edge portion which is of continuous character and preferably of beaded form, through the other longitudinal edge portion thereof, with the result that such body member is provided throughout its entire length with transversely disposed and longitudinally spaced free-ended tongues, thereby enabling said body member to be readily bent longitudinally or edgewise in securing the present improved sealing strip along curved or irregularly shaped edge portions of door openings, all as will hereinafter more fully appear.

Another more specific object of the present invention is the provision of a sheet metal bead for the reception of the free ends of the transverse tongues of the sheet metal body member of the present improved sealing strip, said tongues having limited sliding movement relative to one another within such head, so that such bead does not interfere in, any way with the longitudinal or edgewise bending of such body member, the function of such bead being to maintain. the free ends of the body member tongues in alignment, and thus insure that the attaching portion of the sealing strip will lie fiat, and also, to aid in the securement, or in the maintenance of such securement, of such strip attaching portion to the structural parts of the automobile body or the like along the edges of the door openings thereof, all as also will hereinafter more fully appear.

Another more specific object of the present invention is the provision of an improved sealing strip having especially efiective, durable and attractive yieldable means for door sealing engagement, the nature, form and arrangement of such means all contributing to make it of improved character.

Another more specific object of thepresent invention is the provision of an improved sealing strip in which the sealing portion of the strip, a portion which in use of the strip is exposed for door-engaging sealing purposes, is provided with a longitudinally disposed ornamental head, of

' stainless steel or the like, ,which materially enhances the general attractiveness of the sealing strip without interfering in any way with its sealing effectiveness. I Further objects of the present invention will appear, and the objects thereof heretofore referred to will be more fully understood, from the following description of several embodiments of such invention, reference being had to the ac companying drawingsain which Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a short length of one form of the present improved sealing strip, a portion of the sheet metal body memberthereof being completely exposed so that the construction of such member may be fully shown; Fig. 2 is a perspective view, in the plane of line 22 of Fig. 11, of a portion of one of the pillars and a portion of one of the doors of an automobile body, the attaching portion of the sealing strip of Fig. 1 being tacked to such body pillar for sealing engagement with such door; Fig. 3 is a view of the parts of Fig. 2 as-they would be seen from inside the' automobile body, a portion of the upholstery material for the body pillar being broken away to show the attaching portion of the sealing strip and the view illustrating how the tongue-receiving metal bead of such strip attaching portion would prevent detachment of the strip, even though some of the attaching tacks extend through the body member slots rather than the tongue thereof; Fig. d is a side view of a short lengthof the sealing strip of Fig. 1 bent longitudinally or edgewise into curved form and illustrating the position of the body member tongues within the alignment-maintaining sheet metal head therefor; Fig. 5 is a crosssectional view showing the use of metal clips 'for securing'the attaching portion of the sealing strip of Fig. l to the body pillar of an automobile; Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 3, but showing the parts of Fig. 5, including the strip attaching metal clips; Fig. 7 is a perspective view, similar to Fig. l, and showing a modified form of the present improved sealing strip; Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 6, but showing the sealing-stripe! Fig. 7; Figs. 9 and 10 are perspective views of short lengths of improved sealing strips embodying other forms of the present invention; and Fig. 11 is a diagrammatic view of a portion of an automobile body, along the edges and across the tops of the door openings of which sealing strips embodying the present invention are arranged for door-sealing engagement.

' Before explaining in detail the present invention, it is to be understood that such invention is not limited to the details of construction and/or the arrangement of parts herein illustrated and/or described, inasmuch as the inventiouobviously may take other forms. It also is to be understood that the phraseology or terminologyhere'in employed is for the purpose of description and not of limitation, as it is not intended that the invention herein disclosed and claimed be 1 limited beyond the requirements of the prior art.

As indicated in the awompanying drawin the present improved sealing strip,'in all of the forms thereof illustrated in such drawings, includes a generally fiat and inherently resilient sheet metal body member I of strip form, said body member being transversely slotted, as at 2, throughout its entire length. As best shown in Figs. 1 and 7,

said slots extend from points adjacent thevlongitudinal edge portion 3 of such body member, an edge portion which is of continuous or non-slotted character, through the other longitudinal edge 1 portion thereof, with the result that such bod member is provided throughout its entire length with transversely disposed and longitudinally spaced free-ended tongues I. Preferably, the conis utilized, the sealing eillciency of the strip may be somewhat increased',,as be readily understood, although the present sealing strip has sumcient inherent resiliency to cause its sealing non-- ti-on to firmly engage a doorfor effective sealing purposes, even though the outer covering of such strip is of smooth material, such as leather or the like. j

- Because of the transverselyslotted character of its sheet metal body member, each form of the present improved sealing strip may be readily bent longitudinally or edgewise, with the result that such strip may be readily given a shape, longitudinally, corresponding to that of the edge portions of the door openings along which it is secured in use thereof. As is well known, the

doors and the door openingsv of present day antomobiles are not of simple rectangular shape with square comers, as they formerly were, but are of irregular shape, with rounded or curved upper corners, as shown in Fig. 1-1. Regardless of the particular shape of an automobil door opening, however, a single piece or section of the present improved flexible and bendable sealing strip may be arranged along both sides and across the top of such door opening, there being shown in Fig. 1-1 a single piece or section of a sealing strip A associated with the right'front door open ing for sealing engagement with the door i2 ti'nuous or non-slotted longitudinal edge portion 3 of the body member isbent or rolled into beaded Y form, as shown, and if desired, a reenforcing wire 5 or the like maybe longitudinally positioned withinsuch bead, a construction which not only strengthens the body member but which also 7 facilitates its manufacture.

For sealing purposes, sealing strips embodying the present invention are provided with especially efl-ect-lve, attractive and durable sealing means.

the nature, form and arrangement of such means all contributing to make it .of improved charactor. In the embodiment of theinven'tion illustrated in Figs. 1 to 6 inclusive, a layer of rubber 8 is applied, by the use of extruding apparatus -Or other suitable means, to the sheet metal body member .I of the strip, said rubber completely enclosing said member except for the tree ends 9 of its tongues I. As clearly shown in Figs. 1, 2

and 5, the layer of rubber 8 is of varying'thick ness, that portion of the rubber'adiacent to and j surrounding the beadedcontinuou's edge p rtion =1 of the body member having the greatest thick-- ness, so that the sealing stripoi-Figs. l to 8 in- "clusive is of generally pear shape in cross section,

as best shown in Fig. 1. portion of the sealing strip, namely, that portion' j which includes the beaded continuous edge iportion 3 of the body member i, constitutes the Such thickened edge sealing portion of the strip, the attaching portion thereof being that edge portion which in cludes the free ends 9 of the body member tongues l, as will hereinafter more fully appear, To protect the rubber I and to give the sealing strip an attractive appearance, in harmony with the upholstered interior finish of the automobile body, a flexible covering II. is provided for such rubber, mid coverin being of any suitable ma therefor and a single piece or section of a seali-ng strip B associated with the right rear door opening for sealing engagement with the door I! therefor. Each such strip piece or section maybe given its particular shape either before or at the time of its application to the automobile body,

although in practice, the sealing strip will be out into proper lengths by the manufacturer thereof and sent in straight form to the manufactm'ersof the automobiles or automobile bodies and thereanter bent into the desired shape or shapes in the production lines thereof, all as will be readily understood.

In order to eiiect and maintain alignment of the free ends 9 of the body memher tongues I. and thus insure that the attaching portion of the sealing strip will lie flat, forproper covering and concealment by the upholstery or the like of the automobile body. as will hereinarter more-fully appear, a suitable sheet metal head I is provided for the reception of such tongue ends. wlthin such bead, the free ends 9 of the tongues 4 may fslide relative to one another as the strip is longitudlnaliy oredgewise heat, so that the use of such an alignment-maintaining bead does not interfere in any way with such bending of the strip. In

Fig. 4, there is shown a short length of the present improved sealing strip bent longitudinally or edgewise into curved form, for the curved edge portion of a door opening, and the increase in I or enlargement of the normal spaced relation-.

" strips of Figs'l, 9 and 10, orof closed and someterial, such as cut or uncut pile fabric, leather I what flattened character, as in the sealing strip of Big. 7.

and the like." If a coveringwith a pile surface Any suitable means may be utilized ,to secure the attaching portion of the present improved sealing strip along the sides and across the top of the door opening which is to be sealed by the sealing portion of such strip. In Figs. 2 and 3, the attaching portion of the sealing strip of Fig. 1 is shown as secured to the sheet metal pillar i8 01" the automobile body of Fig. 11 by suitable tacks ill, a tacking strip 68 of a rubber compound or the like being mounted at one of the inner corners of such body pillar for receiving such tacks. As clearly shown in Fig. 2 and as will be readily understood, the sealing portion of such sealing strip extends across or spans the crack between the automobile. door l3 and such body pillar i6 and such strip sealing portion resiliently but firmly engages said door, with the result that there is provided for the opening for such door a particularly efiective' and durable seal. appearance purposes primarily, it is the practice to cover and thereby conceal the attaching portions of sealing strips, and an upholstered panel 22 is shown in Figs. 2 and 3 for such purpose.

Because of the useof the bead I4, the free ends '9 of the body member tongues d of the present improved sealing strip are effectively maintained in alignment so that they will lie fiat against the surface of the pillar H6 or other structural part of the automobile body to which the attaching portion of the sealing strip is secured, as heretofore referred to. As a result, there will be no noticeable displacement of that portion of the upholstered panel 22 or the like which overlies the attaching portion of the present sealing strip. Moreover, the bead it effectively prevents detachment of the present sealing strip, even though some of the tacks i7 extend through the slots 2 of the sheet metal body member of the strip, rather than through the tongues i thereof.- In Fig. 3, such a condition is illustrated, and it will be observed that the bead M, by its engagement with the tack ii there shown, eiiectiveiy prevents detachment of the strip, as will be readily understood.

In Figs. and 6, the use of metal clips is shown for securing the attaching portion of the sealing strip of Fig. 1 to a sheet metal pillar lbs of an automobile body. As there shown, each of such clips includes a generally U-shaped gripping portion 25 for receiving and holding the beaded edge of the strip attaching portion and also includes a transversely slotted head 26 for snapfastening connection to the inner wall of the body pillar its, such pillar inner wall being provided with suitable apertures for the releasable reception of such clip heads. As in Figs. 2 and 3, an upholstered panel is shown at 22a in Figs. 5 and ii for covering'and thereby concealing the attaching portion of the sealing strip and the fastening means by which it is secured in place. The door it-la of Figs5 and 6;. like the door id of Figs. 2 and 3, is yieldingly but firmly engaged by the strip sealing portion, as shown.

In Figs. '7 and 3, a slightly modified form of sealing strip is illustrated, the sealing portion of the sealing strip there shown havingclamped or otherwise suitably secured over and along its longitudinal edge an ornamental bead 28, of stainless steel or other suitable ornamental material. As shown in Fig. 8; such ornamental bead extends along the inner surface of the door itb, adjacent the sides and the top thereof, when such door is in closed position, and such bead materially adds to the inside appearance of the For automobile body. Metal clips, such as shown in Figs. 5 and 6, are shown in Fig. 3 for securing the attaching portion of the sealing strip of Fig. 7 to a sheet metal automobile pillar 53b, the sealing portion, adjacent its ornamental bead 28, of such strip yieldingly but firmly engaging the door iilb.

As in Figs. 2 and 3 and in Figs. 5 and 6, a suitable upholstered panel 2% is shown in Fig. 8 for covering and thereby concealing the attaching portion of the sealing strip of Fig. 7, including the gripping portions or the metal clips there shown. As shown, the sealing means of the sealing strip of Fig. 7, like that of the sealing means of the sealing strip of Fig. 1, includes a layer of rubber 8a and a flexible outer covering lila of fabric, leather or the like.

In Figs. 9 and 10, two additional embodimentsof the present invention are illustrated. In the sealing strip of Fig. .9, inherently resilient hair or bristles 30, such as hogs bristles, .ior example, are positioned between the rubber ill) of the strip and the outer flexible covering 2% thereof, on the door-engaging side of the strip sealing portion, with the result that such strip has particularly resilient sealing means. If desired and as will be readily understood, such hair or bristles may be maintained in their entwined or entangled form by coagulated latex.

In the sealing strip of Fig. 10, no rubber is utilized, the inherently resilient hair or bristles 30a being positioned, on the door-engaging side of the sealing portion of the strip, between the sheet metal body member is and the flexible outer covering its thereof.

If the present improved sealing strip includes rubber, as in those embodiments of the invention illustrated in Figs. 1, land 9, no special adhesive means need be used to cause the flexible outer covering of the strip to adhere to such rubber,.

as such covering may be applied to such rubber while it is still in a fresh and tacky condition. In the sealing strip of Fig. 10, any suitable adhesive or any other suitable means may be utilized to maintainthe flexible outer covering lilo of the strip in proper association with the sheet metal body member is thereof, as will be readily understood.

From the foregoing description of the present invention, it is believed that the nature thereof will be clearly understood and the attendant advantages thereof readily appreciated by those skilled in the art to which it relates.

What I claim is:

A sealing strip for the door openings of automobiles and the like, said strip comprising a generally flat and inherently resilient sheet metal body member having a continuous longitudinal edge portion and transversely disposed longitudinally spaced free ended tongues extending there from through the other longitudinal edge portion of such body member, the free ends of such tongues being of beaded form, a separate metal bead member for the reception or the free ends of such tongues and adapted to maintain such tongue ends in substantial alignment, door-engaging yieldable sealing means for such body member, such sealing means having a layer of rubber, a flexible outer covering of fabric or the like, and a mass of inherently resilient, loosely entwined or loosely entangled hair or bristles between suchrubber and such covering.

' JAiVES-S. REID. 

